*
Chandigarh Police to ascertain the identity of all buyers of the forged stickers for use of black film.

*
Some fake immigration documents likely to be recovered from the suspects.

*
At least seven fake permission stickers for use of black films recovered.

*
The police probing the security angle of the protected persons.

Chandigarh, July 8
In what could have been cause of a serious security lapse like the shootout incident in Parliament in December last, a gang involved in forging stickers authorising the use of black films and use of red lights atop vehicles has been busted by the Crime Branch of Chandigarh Police.

At least seven permission stickers for the use of black films, bearing forged signatures of the ADGP (Security), Punjab, have been recovered from their possession. Some fake certificates of Bachelors of Computer Application (BCA) of Panjab University and other sensitive documents have also been recovered from the suspects.

Crime branch sleuths have arrested three persons, including a 16-year-old servant of Daljeet Singh the main suspect in the case, who runs a centre for developing computer generated graphics in Sector 17. The third member of the gang, Gangandeep Singh, runs a stereo repair shop in Badhri village.

According to the information available, the police believes that the suspects, aged between 16 and 26 years, were preparing fake travel documents on behalf of travel agents. The suspects were selling each permission sticker for the use of black film for Rs 500. The amount for selling the fake degree certificates would be known after the interrogation of the suspects, said a police official.

A case under Sections 420, 465, 468, 474 and 120 B of the IPC has been registered against the suspects, said the Incharge of the Crime Branch, Inspector Satbir Singh. On receiving information, a decoy customer was sent with Rs 500 to purchase the sticker for the use of black film. On being arrested, six more stickers were recovered from Ganagdeep.

One of the suspects, Daljeet, a computer literate was running DJT Graphics and duplicated the permission sticker on his computer. The suspects got the idea of forging the stickers when someone came to the shop of Daljeet to get a photocopy of the certificate.

The police is also probing the use of fake travel documents having signatures of the Regional Passport Office (RPO).

However, the nature of the documents prepared by the suspects was yet to be ascertained by the police. The sleuths are looking for a Chandigarh-based travel agent also in this connection. More sensational recoveries were expected to be made from the suspects in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the two main suspects, Daljeet, a resident of Sector 20 and Gagandeep, a resident of Sector 38, have been sent to police custody till July 11. The third person, Raman has been sent to juvenile home.

Chandigarh, July 8
If allegations in a writ petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court are to be believed, the Punjab Government had issued an advertisement in newspapers announcing that the houses constructed before December 9, 1998, in Naya Gaon were being regularised. Soon after, a no objection certificate for the release of electricity connections was issued to certain residents after proper verification. But then an order was passed withdrawing the certificates.

Challenging the orders
withdrawing the no objection certificate, two Naya Gaon residents — Surinder Singh and P.P. Bhatia — today sought directions to the Punjab Urban Development and Planning Authority, besides other respondents, to issue the NOC. Taking up the case, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall of the High Court, issued notice of motion for October 16 and also stayed the disconnection of electricity connection.

Seeking the quashing of the order, counsel for the petitioners had earlier stated that advertisement was issued by the government stating that the houses constructed before December 9, 1998, in the periphery of Chandigarh, in Naya Gaon, were exempted from the Punjab New Capital Periphery Act and were regularised. He had added that the petitioner was issued a NOC after proper verification on November 3 last year.

Chandigarh, July 8
Income tax payers’ more than month-long ordeal of having to visit as many as four buildings and climb up to the fourth floor to deposit their income tax returns seems to be partially ending on July 10.

The old and the physically challenged had been forced to visit these buildings from first floor to fourth floor in the Hot Millions, Batra, Bassi and Bassi 2 (Old Passport Office) buildings in Sector 17 to know where they could deposit their returns since June 1.

The uncomfort caused by the restricting of the Income Tax Department with the creation of more posts has come to the notice of the department, which has advanced its special arrangements for the return deposit by at least 11 days.

The Chandigarh Commissioner Income Tax-I has now made arrangements at the Engineers Institute in Sector 19 on Madhya Marg from July 10. The department had earlier been making special arrangements for only 10 days.

But the arrangement again falls short of expectations of the tax-payer, which falls in the Chandigarh-II as the three ranges in the jurisdiction of the Chandigarh-II will still have to visit several offices.

The department could have arranged for the receipt of tax at
one place to stop the problem for the tax-payer, a visitor to the department said.

Narrating the ordeal faced by a disabled person, an income tax lawyer said, “I saw a disabled person first going to the Hot Million building only to be told that his range falls in the Batra building, from where again he was sent to the Bassi building and ultimately he was sent to the Old Passport Office.’’

The problem for the people has been caused as earlier the returns before special arrangements used to be accepted in the Hot Millions and Batra buildings for five to six years.

Before this there used to be only one building for the deposit of returns.

The department had understood the problem and had even tried an innovative measure of putting up a drop box on the first floor of the Bassi building but the tax-payer had not responded to the effort, the Income Tax Commissioner, Chandigarh-I, Mr Ashwini Luthra, told Chandigarh Tribune.

The department had asked the people to drop their returns along with self-addressed envelopes to send the acknowledgement through post.

The department this time will try to end confusion by writing the area falling under an individual range on each range counter.

A special counter would be opened for inquiries and there would be technical assistants for helping the people file their returns on the spot, Mr Luthra said.

An official spokesman of the Commissioner of Income Tax, Chandigarh-I, has intimated that for the convenience of taxpayers, arrangements have been made for receiving returns from July 10 to 31 from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm on all working days at the Institute of Engineers (India), Punjab, and Chandigarh States’ Centre, Madhya Marg, Sector 19-A, Chandigarh, instead of YMCA, Sector 11, Chandigarh, as announced earlier. The returns in respect of following areas will be received at this centre:

* Two cusecs of water treated at sewerage treatment plant to be used for irrigating the golf
course.

*
Tenders have been floated to lay 3-km-long irrigation line at the cost of Rs 50
lakh.

*
Total requirement for irrigating the golf course is 4 lakh gallons per
day.

*
Three lakh gallons of water per day for irrigation is being lifted from the Ghaggar.

Panchkula, July 8
The Haryana Urban Development Authority has come up with a proposal to irrigate the 18-hole golf course with the water treated at the Water treatment plant here in Sector 20.

The decision has been taken by the authorities, considering the scarcity of water in the township. It has been decided to tap sources of water, other than groundwater, for irrigating the course, spread over a stretch of almost 2 km.

According to information available, the water requirement for irrigating the course will be around 50,000 gallons per hour each day. The golf course will require constant watering for about eight hours each day for the proper maintenance of the greens (four lakh gallons).

Sources inform that two cusecs of water treated at the sewerage treatment plant in Sector 20 will be used for irrigating the golf course. Tenders have been floated for laying the 30km-long irrigation line from the plant in Sector 20 to the golf course. This project will be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 50 lakh.

It is also learnt that water from the treatment plant will be used for irrigating the gardens in Sector 5, Town Park and Vatika, besides supplying water to the Sports Complex, coming up in Sector 3.

Other than this, the authorities have also started drawing water from the Ghaggar from last month onwards. A pump of 15 hp has been installed to lift around 3 lakh gallons per day. Besides, a lone tubewell has also been installed for the water requirement of the park.

Meanwhile, sources inform that the membership of the golf course will be opened within the next two months. “It will be a public golf course; even middle class people will be able to afford the membership”, said a senior official.

Nine of the 18 holes in the course have already been completed. Work on the remaining nine holes will begin soon. The gazebo of the club is also nearing completion. Tenders have already been floated for the construction of the club building. Senior officials in HUDA inform that nine holes of the golf course will be opened to players by the end of the year.

With this golf course being developed here, this elite urban
is all set to be part of the golfing circuit of the country. As of now there are two golf courses in Chandigarh (Golf Club and CGA Golf Range), one each in Chandimandir and Naya Gaon. Another golf course is coming up in SAS Nagar.

This golf course, covering 125 acres of land, has been made as per the specifications of the United States Golf Association. The course has been so designed that it runs alongside the Ghaggar. A water body is also being developed inside the course as part of its landscaping. This will also help in recharging the groundwater here.

Also, each fairway in this golf course will be decorated with different ornamental plants and will be named after the plants in each fairway.

Chandigarh, July 8
Three trustees of the Mata Gujri Sahara Trust, who are taking care of terrorism-affected children in Patiala district, have accused the police of seeking to implicate them at the behest of their trust rivals and sought a fair inquiry.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr Gian Singh, Mr Devinder Singh and Ms Sandeep Kaur Kashtiwal, also the finance secretary of the trust, said the police had picked up two of the sewadars of the trust and lodged an FIR against them for an alleged embezzlement of funds to the tune of Rs 18.5 lakh.

Ms Kashtiwal claimed her rivals Mr Nachhattar Singh and another trustee Ms Sohanjit Kaur had been expelled from the trust on a charge of embezzlement and their failure to account for the money in the trust located at Khallar Bheni.

Mr Nachhattar Singh is reported to have filed an FIR against his rival trustees for opening an unauthorised account to receive funds from Canada, the UK, the USA and Dubai.

She, however, claimed the introduction for opening the same account had been given by her two rival trustees who had allegedly been engaged in collecting donations for their own venture feigning that it was also a part of the trust.

The trust is providing education and bringing up 200 children affected by terrorism and has sponsored 20 of them in different educational institutions.

These trustees had taken anticipatory bail till tomorrow.

They claimed the support of 12 trustees out of 15, nine of whom are based abroad.

The trio said the trustees based abroad had asked them not to lodge any FIR against Ms Sohanjit Kaur and Mr Nachhattar Singh and instead asked to remove them from so as to avoid the trust getting a bad name.

They produced faxed letters purported to have been signed by trustees based abroad.

The trustees did not see any hand of the Congress in the affair but said certain elements had got active after the exit of the Badal Government.

They said had been helped by the former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

Mr Nachhattar Singh, when contacted for his version, was not available for his comments.

SAS Nagar, July 8
Resentment prevails among a section of residents in Phase VII here against the construction of a school building in a park. The agitated residents gathered and got the construction activity stopped today.

The people who had taken up the construction activity, dismantled a part of the metal railing that had been put up by the civic body. Even the footpath around the park had been damaged.

Residents say that in the master plan of the town the site had been earmarked for a nursery school but subsequently it was got converted into a park. The Municipal Council had put up “jhulas” and a metal railing around it. Some plantation had also been done in the area.

However, the people getting the boundary wall constructed claimed that the land had been allotted for a school about a year ago.

Mr Manjit Singh, municipal councillor of the area, said the allotment done by PUDA in this case was “wrong”. He alleged that the land had been allotted to a property dealer for constructing a school. PUDA had allotted sites only to the managements of those schools which were being run in residential premises. He demanded that the allotment should be cancelled and action be taken against the persons who had made the allotment in this case.

Mr Sandeep Singh, who claimed that he was a member of a trust to which the land had been allotted, said the step of getting the construction activity stopped by residents was “illegal”.

The trust had taken possession of the land about three months ago and even a water connection had been sanctioned by the department concerned. He said the residents were aware at the time of purchasing plots that a school site existed in the master plan. However, Mr Sandeep Singh did not know the name of the trust of which he was a member.

Officials at the Estate Office, PUDA, said the site in question was not meant for a park but was only being used as a park. It had always remained as a school site.

Mr Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Estate Officer, said the land had been allotted to Blue Wing Estates Private Limited in January, 2002. The allotment had been made on the recommendation of a scrutiny committee which was set up at the head office.

*
For immediate relief, Sectors 32 and 34 sub-stations will be linked within a
week.

*
Overhead and underground cables will be replaced at various places.

Chandigarh, July 8
Reacting to long hours of power cuts in the southern sectors of the city, the Chandigarh Administration today cracked the whip and ordered short and long-term management plans to spruce up the power distribution system in the city.

This includes the spending of Rs 40 crore during this financial year for upgrading the system. Two sub-stations and four new transformers are planned in the long-term plan, which will bring about relief in the next summer. While an additional linkage between two sub-stations in Sector 32 and 34 will come under the short-term plan. This will reduce the pressure on the 33 KV sub-station in Sector 34. Sources said the Sector 34 sub-station has emerged as the weakest link in the distribution system of the city.

At a meeting among senior officers today it was decided to lay a fresh high-tension overhead cable between Sector 32 and 34 power sub-stations. This will help transfer some of the load from Sector 34 to 32. The work starts immediately. Engineers have set a target to put the cable in place by Friday. However, delay on the account of rain has cannot be ruled out.

Mr Karan Avtar Singh, Finance Secretary, when asked about the funds for the Rs 40-crore long-term projects, said a part of it would come from their own resources. The sub-stations will be paid by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), while the remaining sum will be sought from the Government of India. Source added that Rs 15 crore would be sought from the Central Government.

The long-term planning also involves the
upgrading of power cables. The power grid corporation has been asked to complete the ring of 66 KV sub-station at the earliest. The Finance Secretary added: “Some results of the long-term planning like additional transformers and cables will be visible within the next six months.” Only the work on sub-stations will remain.

Since the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd) is empowered to clear the projects of such financial implications, there will be no need to take sanctions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) — the controlling authority for Chandigarh matters.

Chhat Bir (Patiala), July 8
Even after a lapse of over 18 hours, the Dera Bassi police is still in the dark regarding an accident that took place on Saturday night in which an unidentified man was mowed down by an unidentified vehicle on the busy Chandigarh-Patiala highway near Chhat village bus stop. Over hundreds of other vehicles too had run over the body making on identification of the deceased almost impossible.

Sources in police said police parties had been constituted to question various dhaba owners running their establishments along the highway and other roads in Punjab and neighbouring states.

A senior police officer said the police was seeking help from the police of neighbouring areas, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Rajpura and Ambala to help solve the case.

When questioned, how the real culprit would be identified, he added that it was possible that the driver of the vehicle which hit the man first time had washed his vehicle at some dhaba. Thus, in order to locate the driver and the vehicles involved questioning of the dhaba owners and labourers working there was necessary.

Mr Arvind Puri, SHO of Dera Bassi, said being a case of hit-and- run an FIR had been registered under Section 304-A against the unidentified vehicle driver. The police was investigating the matter and a couple of local residents have been questioned in this regard, he added.

Mr Balwinder Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the real culprit would be identified after proper investigations.

Chandigarh, July 8
Several parks of the city will light up with an approval of around Rs 31 lakh for fitting lights at various places, mostly in parks. The condition of streetlights, however, may not immediately improve with the privatisation of maintenance not being approved today.

The Electricity Committee of the Municipal Corporation in its meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Mr Jitender Bhatia, deferred the Municipal Corporation’s proposal for privatising the maintenance of streetlights.

The agenda was deferred for want of certain information like comparative cost effectiveness of the “through rate” and “labour rate” and terms and conditions of the old proposal of “through rate” which failed to attract any private party.

The privatisation has been affecting the maintenance of streetlights as the Electricity Wing of the Municipal Corporation has only 20 per cent manpower of the sanctioned strength.

The Electricity Wing has also prepared an agenda item for the House’s approval for the sanction of more posts.

The wing has six linemen against a sanctioned strength of 36.

The “through rate” making the private party responsible for everything has now been replaced with the “labour rate” envisaging per point repair charge and the material will be supplied by the municipal corporation. Certain material can also be supplied by the private party as per a scheduled rate which is being prepared by the wing.

A sum of Rs 4.5 lakh has been approved for the lighting of green belt near Nirman Cinema, Rs 3.4 lakh for the green belt near Manth Mandir in Sector 20, Rs 3 lakh for the Parrot Garden in Sector 21, Rs 2 lakh for the garden in Sector 37 C and D, Rs 1 lakh for 21 C and D green belt and Rs 3 lakh for the Cactus Garden in Ram Darbar. Rs 3.5 lakh for the augmentation of streetlights on V-5 road in Sector 46 C, Rs 4.9 lakh for streetlight in the Modern Housing Complex near Bitta Petrol Pump and Rs 4.9 lakh for the augmentation of streetlights on V-5 road of Sector 47, have been approved by the committee.

Fee revised

The City Beautification and Environment Committee of the Municipal Corporation here today effected a three-fold increase in fee for the use of parks for social or commercial functions.

Parks above 4000 square feet will now cost Rs 3000 for a day instead of current rate of Rs 1000, those above 2000 and less than 4000 square feet at Rs 1000 instead of Rs 500 and those up to 2000 square feet at Rs 500 instead of Rs 300.

This was decided at the committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr Dildar Khan.

It sent a request to the Electricity Committee to improve lighting arrangements in the cremation ground in Sector 25 and sought an agenda from the corporation for the white wash of the ground in the next meeting likely to be held by the end of the month.

The committee approved several agendas for the entertainment facilities to children in various parks.

Rs 1,27,400 was approved for the development of two parks in Sector 22, Rs 31000 for children equipment at a park in Sector 42, the electrification of another park in the same sector has been referred to the Electricity Committee, Rs 2.55 for railing and children’s play equipment in Indira Colony, Rs 50,000 for the Bird Sanctuary in Sector 21, Rs 4.88 lakh for the 27 D green belt, Rs 4.23 lakh for the green belt along Sectors 11 and 12, Rs 2.06 lakh for grass cutting equipment and Rs 2.17 lakh for railing in Sector 27-C park.

Statements recorded

The House Committee inquiry into the alleged theft in the Fire Department of the Municipal Corporation here today completed the recording of evidences ahead of its scheduled conclusion on July 10.

The committee, headed by Senior Deputy Mayor Surinder Singh, has recorded between 15 to 18 statements of various people in this regard. The committee today recorded the last statement in the series and Mr Singh said the findings of the committee would be out on the scheduled date.

The committee has also visited all fire stations to make recommendations for their improvement.

Members of the committee will informally meet to finalise findings before submitting the report to the Mayor, Ms Lalit Joshi.

The committee has also gone into the service conditions of the employees of the Fire Department to find ways to boost their morale for an effective and crucial response at the time of crisis.

It has sought opinion of experts and councillors for improving the condition of fire stations.

Chandigarh, July 8
Sweet-smelling flowers on and around garbage dumps. Sounds unbelievable, but it is true. The Chandigarh Administration, spurred by the success of a small experiment in growing flowers near the dump last year, will now be planting flowers on the five-acre garbage dumping site in Daddu Majra village located on the western fringe of the city.

The garbage dumping site located just west of Sector 25 takes all the garbage generated in the city. In the past few months the Municipal Corporation has been putting soil and manure on the site to prevent the garbage from rotting. This mixture of soil and manure besides the natural rotting of the garbage adds to the growth of flowers. Also once a layer of soil is deposited on the freshly dumped garbage, it prevents wild animals like cows, pigs, dogs and rodents from
having a free run on the garbage.

As a first step in this direction, the Finance and Contract Committee of the Municipal Corporation has recommended the framing of by-laws to create a nursery of fragrant flowers in 5 acres of land around Daddu Majra dumping ground.

The committee chaired by the Mayor, Ms. Lalit Joshi, on July 5, today discussed the action taken report on budget and monthly review of expenditure.

In the past the garbage dumping ground has come under sharp criticism as residents of nearby areas say flies are spreading diseases from the dump and underground water was being contaminated. The Administration had carried out an experiment last year to planted some saplings of eucalyptus and of sunflower. The flowers grew and grew to size much bigger than the normal. The trees did not grow.

A resident of Daddu Majra village said when the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Neeru
Nanda, had visited the site a few days ago she was told that sunflowers had gone on to be very well.

Chandigarh, July 8
The Haryana Governor, Babu Parmanand, visited the PGI today, to enquire about the health of Mr Kultar Singh, younger brother of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who has been admitted here for treatment.

Mr Kultar Singh was admitted to the PGI on Wednesday after he complained of kidney problem. He is presently residing at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh with his family.

Apart from the Punjab Governor, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), and the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, a large number of freedom fighters have been coming to enquire about the health of Mr Kultar Singh.

Chandigarh, July 8
The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has constituted two national awards for individual organisations.

The first award, National Child Awards, is for children between the age of 4 to 15, who have shown an exceptional achievement in any field, including academics, arts and culture and sports, will be considered for this award.

The second award, National Awards for Child Welfare, is for institutions that are not entirely government funded and which are not government aided or otherwise. The institution should have been in the field of child welfare for some years and should have to their record, a good performance in the field.

The criterion for the individual is that they should have worked for the cause of children for some years. The deserving children/organisations/individuals may submit their applications in the prescribed format available in the office of the Director Social Welfare, Town Hall Extension Building, Sector 17-C, Chandigarh, a spokesperson of the Chandigarh Administration said.

SLOW promotions in the Army have resulted in the stagnation of
officers in the same ranks for years together. What has further dampened the prospects of promotion is the two-year extension in service. The absence of incentive in service has forced a sizeable number of officers in the ranks of Majors, Lt Cols and Colonels to quit the Army prematurely. This has alarmed the Chief of the Army Staff, Gen S. Padmanabhan, who has got a cadre review proposal prepared by the Military Secretary’s Branch which is under submission to the government.

The proposal envisages an increase in the rank of Colonels from 3,322 to 4,375, in the rank of Brigadiers from 824 to 1,485, in the rank of Maj Gens from 196 to 440 and in the rank of Lieut Gens from 60 to 154. Besides a new rank of “Colonel General” is likely to be created for the Vice Lieut Chief of the Army Staff and the Army Commanders.

This proposal, if accepted, by the government will curb to a large extent the current trend of officers chucking the Army prematurely. What demoralises the officers at present is total imbalance in their service as compared to the civil services. In the Army, an officer is promoted to the rank of Lieut Col after about 18 years of service, while in the police an officer is, at least, an Inspector General with this much years of service.

Gallantry awards

Punjab known as the sword arm of India, always topped in the country in winning gallantry awards until the 1971 war. But after that, in a few war — like conflicts that we have encountered, its tally of awards has gone down, thanks to the introduction of Central Government’s new policy to fix the share of states in recruitment in proportion to their population.

Of the total gallantry awards of Param Vir Chakra (PVC), Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and Vir Chakra (VrC) of 21, 213 and 2,128 won by the Army from 1947 to 1971, Punjab’s share was 4, 46 and 228 respectively. But after the 1971 war, Punjab did not win a single PVC, while its share of MVCs is 2 and VrCs 21 out of 4 PVCs, 26 MVCs and 110 VrCs respectively won by the Indian soldiers.

On the directions of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, Department of Defence Services Welfare has submitted a proposal to the State Finance Department to enhance the cash awards for the PVC, MVC and VrC winners to Rs 25 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively. It is a big jump from the current grant of Rs 1,25,000 for PVC, Rs 75,000 for MVC and Rs 50,000 for a VrC winner.

Since the Indian Army is not a conscripted but a voluntary Army, there is no justification to allot recruitment quota to the states in proportion to their population. It is well known to the powers that be that every third youth in Punjab and Haryana is a volunteer to join the Army.

Compensation to farmers

Persistent efforts by the Army to get compensation to the farmers in the border areas for the loss of their crops due to laying of mines or fire have borne fruit. A sum of Rs 18 crore has been released to the Deputy Commissioners of Amritsar and Gurdaspur for paying compensation to the affected farmers. The payment by cheques has been made by the local administration in the presence of representatives from the Army.

So far 25 per cent compensation has been paid and the balance of it is being paid.

Friend of defence services

The former Defence Secretary, Mr Yogendra Narain, who retired on June 30, was considered to be a friend of the defence services. He really helped the armed forces by pushing through many of the
important projects, which were gathering dust for years. Two among them, sanctioned just a month before his retirement, were Rs 16,000-crore housing project and Rs 800-crore package for medical facilities for the ex-servicemen.

Long live Mr Yogendra Narain, the much awaited medical insurance scheme for the ex-servicemen, it is learnt, has been put through.

Defence pension website

A good news for defence pensioners is that the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) Allahabad has launched a website http:// pcdapension.nic.in

This website will provide you any type of information on pension and family pension under various headings such as know your pension, common problem of pensioners and their solutions, grievance redressal, pension payment, information latest government orders and about pension adalats.
Pritam Bhullar

Panchkula, July 8
The Administrator, Haryana Urban Development Authority, Panchkula, Mr Arun Kumar Gupta, today took a round of various markets in order to assess the development works and maintenance works.

It is learnt that Mr Gupta visited the markets in Sector 10, 11, 12, 12-A, 14, Industrial Area Phase I and II . He was accompanied by the Estate Officer, Ms Geeta Bharti, the Assistant Estate Officer, Mr Bhardwaj the SE Mr. S.C. Malik, the SE, Horticulture, Mr Jogi Ram, the Xen, Mr N.K. Verma, and other officers.

Chandigarh, July 8
A Sector 20 resident, Dolly Vohra (37), died after she fell from a motor cycle she was riding pillion near the Dera Bassi police station yesterday. Her husband who was driving the motor cycle and 10-year-old daughter Sanchi, who was also riding the vehicle, however, escaped unhurt.

According to information, Dolly was returning from Ambala after meeting her parents when the accident took place. The victim’s husband Hemant Vohra said she was taken to the Civil Hospital and doctors referred her to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. According to Mr Vohra, Dolly died on way to the GMCH.

Dolly was married to Hemant on October 4, 1990. She is survived by her husband, 10-year-old daughter Sanchi, and six-year-old son Mayank. Mr Vohra works in a private firm and Sanchi is a Class VI student of St. Xavier’s School, Sector 44.

CRIME

16-yr-old girl dies under mysterious circumstances
Tribune Reporters

Chandigarh, July 8
A 16-year-old girl, Monica, died under mysterious circumstances in the wee hours here today. According to police sources, last night at around 11.30 pm, the victim complained of stomach ache and was taken to the PGI, where she died.

When the victim was being taken to the PGI, froth started coming out of her mouth. After conducting the autopsy, the body was handed over to family members. The viscera has been sent to Patiala. The victim was a resident of Pipliwala town, Mani Majra. Her father is a tea vendor. Inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Cr PC has been initiated.

STABBED: The owner of Chicken Corner in the Sector 46 rehri market, Sukhdev Singh, was seriously injured when he was allegedly stabbed in the stomach by a tailor of the rehri market, Bali Parkash. The injured person has been admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, here.

According to the information, the assailant owed the victim Rs 250. A case under Section 307 of the IPC has been registered.

GIRL FOUND: A 16-year-old girl, Sanyogita, belonging to Kajheri village, was found lying in an unconscious state on the road dividing Sectors 32 and 46. The girl was spotted by a PCR was taken to the GMCH, Sector 32. The girl reportedly told the police that she had fallen unconscious due to some ailment. A police party was later sent to the address given by the girl.

CYCLE
THIEF HELD: A 35-year-old cycle thief has been arrested by the officials of the Sector 17 police station. According to the information, the thief, Surinder Singh, a resident of Seonk village, is said to have confessed of stealing over 15 bicycles. The modus operandi of the thief involved breaking open the lock of the bicycles with the help of screwdriver and later selling each cycle to migrant labourers.

CASES OF THEFT: Two incidents of burglaries and a vehicle theft were reported in the city in the past 48 hours. According to the information, Mohit Panju, a resident of Sector 16, Panchkula, complained to the police that his Suzuki motor cycle was stolen from Kala Gram, Mani Majra.

Besides, Inderpreet, an advocate of Sector 11, complained that burglars broke into his house on the night intervening July 6 and July 7. The value of items stolen has not been ascertained so far. In another case, Sunil Guglani, a resident of Industrial Area, Phase 1, burglars broke the locks of his residential premises and committed theft.

CASE OF SNATCHING: Ms Kashmiro Devi, a resident of Sector 24, complained that two unidentified scooter-borne persons snatched her earring near the Batra Cinema. A case under Sections 356 and 379 of the IPC has been registered.

ASSAULT: Two separate incidents of assault were reported from the city during the past 48 hours. Tara Thakur, a resident of Sector 40, reported that Surinder and Shambhu Kumar, both residents of Sector 40, assaulted him and broke his teeth. In another case, Subash, a resident of Sector 15, complained that Gaurav, a resident of Sector 38, assaulted him. The victim was admitted to the Sector 16 General Hospital.

PROCLAIMED OFFENDERS HELD: The police arrested two proclaimed offenders from different parts of the city here today. As per sources, Satguru Lal (30) was declared proclaimed offender by a local court on July 7. The second person, Kartar Singh, was declared proclaimed offender in December 2001.

As per police sources, a case under various Sections of the Excise Act was registered against Satguru in year 2000. While a case under Sections 325 and 34 of the IPC was registered against Kartar in 1994. His son, Sonu, was also implicated in the case. He is said to be absconding.

Satguru is a resident of Mauli Complex, Mani Majra, and Kartar is a resident of colony no. 4.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The crime branch of the police arrested Pritam Singh of Janta colony for possessing 350 pouches of Hero whisky and four cases of country liquor. A case under the Excise Act has been registered by the police.

PANCHKULA

GANGSTER
HELD: The police has arrested Manoj Yadav, a notorious gangster, from Agra in connection with the robbery at Rinku Jewellers, Sector 9, after more than two years.

He was produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Krishan Kant, yesterday and has been remanded till July 16.

MAN DIES: A 40- year- old resident of Sector 7 here committed suicide by jumping in front of an electric engine near gate 132-C of Mansa Devi Complex this morning. He was later identified as Rakesh Bali.

It is learnt that the victim had earlier arrived here on a motor cycle. He jumped in front of the engine and was killed instantly. It is learnt that the victim was mentally disturbed and had left home saying that he was going to Mansa Devi temple.

TWO
INJURED: A truck driver, Naresh Kumar and his cleaner, Ranbir Singh were injured when their truck was hit by another truck (HR-68- 0702) near the Majri chowk on Sunday. A case under Sections 279 , 337 and 427 of the IPC has been registered.

DERA
BASSI

CRUSHED
TO DEATH: Jugal Kishore, a resident of Ramgarh village, was run over by a truck on the Mubarikpur-Ramgarh road late last night. The police said the victim was on his way home when the truck hit him. He died on the spot.

The driver fled from the spot leaving behind the vehicle after the incident.

A case of negligent driving has been registered and the truck impounded.

Chandigarh, July 8
For a period of one month, ending June 30, 2002, Ebony India’s premier chain of department stores, had sported a display of Royal Enfield Bullets as part of a joint promotion from Basics, Royal Enfield and Ebony. The promotion was carried out in the six Ebony stores in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Delhi (South Extension, Rajouri Garden) and Noida,

Basics is a Chennai-based leading garment retailer which recently made its presence felt in the north at the Ebony outlets. For every purchase of a Basics garment, customers were entitled to a lucky draw coupon (the more you buy, the more coupons you get!). The lucky draw was conducted yesterday at the Ebony Store, Chandigarh and Mr Baldev Singh, a resident of Sector 71, Mohali, has become the proud winner for the Royal Enfield.

The other winners in this lucky draw are: Dr A.V. Kapoor from Manimajra, who has won a TV from Panasonic, Ms Suksham Jhajj, has won a World Space Audio System.

Wills Navy Cut

The house of WD&HO Wills, makers of the country’s finest cigarette brands, has introduced Wills Navy Cut Lights, a new variant of the country’s best loved cigarette Wills Navy Cut in Chandigarh.

The new brand comes in packs of 10s and 20s and has been priced at par with Wills Navy Cut at Rs 23 and Rs 46 respectively.

Commenting on the new brand launch, Mr S.M. Ahmad, Executive Vice-President, ITC Ltd, said, “In keeping with the tradition of the House of WD&HO Wills, the Wills Navy Cut Lights is another step towards reinforcing quality of the WD&HO Wills cigarette mark.”

Wills Navy Cut has consistently retained its image as a leading cigarette brand through innovation and cutting edge technology. The premium brand from master blenders of the House of WD&HO Wills has created a unique and premium position for itself over the years. The unique smoke quality that its consumers associate with Wills Navy Cut is attributed to the perfectly matched blend of tobaccos.

Insurance scheme

The Om Mahindra Life Insurance company launched the Kotak Child Advantage Insurance Plan here today. It is specifically designed to help parents meet the financial needs for their child’s future.

Mr Treman Ahluwalia, Managing Director of the company, claimed, “The scheme is available for a term of 10-30 years with the maximum sum assured is Rs 25 lakh. The plan has optional premium facility and the premium and returns are exempted from tax under Section 88 and Section 10 ( 10 D), respectively.” Under the plan the parents could insure their children from birth to a maximum age of 17 years, he added.